St. Albert Transit honoured two of its workers Thursday for helping a woman in distress.
About a month ago, transit driver Darlene Malayko was driving a morning route when she noticed a situation at a bus stop that seemed like a domestic abuse situation in progress. Malayko stopped to see if the woman needed help.
“I could see she was distraught,” Malayko said. “I just stopped, waved her on the bus, she got on and we left.”
Malayko then called Morgan Smith, the supervisor on duty, who met her at the transit bus barn and kept the woman safe.
“I didn’t ask her any questions,” Smith said. “I didn’t pry into what happened. I just offered my services 100 per cent.”
This involved letting the woman make some calls on his cellphone.
“She came to the conclusion that going to the RCMP would be a very good idea so I seconded that and just gave her some words of encouragement and tried to ease her mind a little bit,” he said.
Smith took the woman to the police detachment and stuck around for half an hour. Seeing that everything was OK on that front, he left and that was the end of transit’s involvement.
Everyone at St. Albert Transit was tight-lipped about the details of the situation, as a safe house was involved and the case is now before the courts. However, transit officials weren’t short on words of praise for Smith and Malayko.
“We want to thank Morgan and Darlene profusely for being such a positive force that day,” said customer service co-ordinator Dawn Fedorvich. “They really did basically save a person’s life.”
During a short award ceremony Thursday afternoon, transit director Bob McDonald also praised the pair.
“I know we all come to difficult situations and we think we’ll do the right thing. Today we’re honouring people who did do the right thing,” he said.
Smith wasn’t actually on hand to receive his award because he was having dental work done. However, when reached later by phone, he downplayed his actions.
“I’ve got family that’s been involved in domestic violence over the years so I don’t feel that anybody should be singled out and recognized for doing something that should just be a natural act,” said the 41-year-old who has worked for St. Albert Transit for 17 years.
“If something’s going wrong, I believe it’s everybody’s job to step in and help out whenever they can, as much or as little as needed,” he said.
Malayko, a six-year driver, also didn’t feel she did anything extraordinary.
“It’s great to be recognized,” she said. “I think it’s probably what most people would do.”
St. Albert Transit is using the incident to publicize the fact that buses are a safe place to turn for people in distress.
“If you’re ever scared or you’re ever hurt, flag down a driver,” Fedorvich said. “It doesn’t have to just be a police officer or an ambulance. A bus driver can help you as well.”
